Address the human side of change systematically

Address the human side of change systematically: Any
transformation of significance will create people issues. New leaders
will be asked to step up, jobs will be changed, new skills and capabilities
must be developed, and people will be uncertain and will resist. Dealing
with these issues on a reactive, case-by-case basis puts speed, morale,
and results at risk. A disciplined approach to change management must
be one of the four pillars of any transformation approach (see Exhibit 1,
next page). This fact-based approach demands as much data collection
and analysis, planning, and implementation discipline as a redesign of
strategy, systems, or processes. It should be fully integrated into
program design and decision-making, both informing and enabling
strategic direction. It should be based on a realistic assessment of the
organization’s history, readiness, and capacity to change. And it should
link multiple change initiatives together. A formal approach for
managing change — beginning with the leadership team and then
engaging key stakeholders and leaders — should be developed early but
adapted often as change moves through the organization.
2) Change starts at the top and begins on day one: Change is
inherently unsettling for people at all levels of an organization, and
when it is on the horizon all eyes will turn to the CEO and the
leadership team for strength, support, and direction. The leadership
must change first to challenge and motivate the rest of the institution,
speaking with one voice and “walking the talk” to model desired
behavior. At the same time, individual executive team members are
going through their own personal changes and need to be supported so
that they can be in agreement with their executive team members.
Executive teams that work well together, that are aligned and
committed to the direction of change, that understand the culture and
behaviors it intends to introduce, and that can model those changes
themselves are best positioned for success.